Tinker Field Research Grant (University of Arizona)

Tinker Field Research Grant (University of Arizona) is sponsored by Tinker Foundation (administered by the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona). The Tinker Field Research Grant at the University of Arizona supports graduate students undertaking master's thesis or pre-dissertation fieldwork in Latin America. Priority is given to students planning to complete a thesis or dissertation.

Tinker Field Research Grant | Latin American Studies Tinker Field Research Grant Need funding for your summer fieldwork in Latin America? Graduate students in any department can apply for funding through the Tinker Field Research Grant. The application deadline for the 2026 competition is MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2026, 11:59PM.

Tinker Field Research Grants provide degree-seeking graduate students with funds for travel to Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Latin American and Caribbean countries as well as limited field research expenses.

These awards allow students to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of language and culture, to familiarize themselves with information sources relevant to their studies, to conduct pilot studies and preliminary investigations, and to develop contacts with scholars and institutions in their fields. Fifteen universities, including the University of Arizona, form part of the Tinker Field Research Collaborative.

The UArizona Center for Latin American Studies administers the Tinker for graduate students on this campus. The Tinker Foundation supports travel and field-related expenses for master’s and pre-dissertation fieldwork in Latin America during the summer (May through August). Applicants who plan to complete an M.

A. thesis or Ph. D.

dissertation will be given priority over students who plan to utilize an examination option to complete their degree. To apply for the Tinker Field Research Grant, you must: Be a University of Arizona graduate student in good standing from any academic discipline.

Plan to conduct master's thesis or pre-dissertation field research in a Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking country in Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela) Be in the pre-dissertation phase of your degree plan if your are a PhD student.

Have proficiency in the language appropriate to your research location. Plan to conduct at least 21 full-time days of research in the field and a maximum of four months. * Be registered for spring semester prior to travel and the fall semester after your return.

*Most students spend 6-8 weeks in the field during the UArizona Summer Term (mid-May to mid-August). The 2026 application will open on Monday January 5, 2026.

Click this link for instructions on how to submit the application: TINKER FIELD RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS The application will ask for the following documents: Project narrative and budget One letter of recommendation Undergrad and grad transcripts (unofficial OK) Proof of language proficiency Letter from a contact in the field or letter of institutional affiliation ( OPTIONAL ) Funding decisions will be made by an interdisciplinary faculty committee chaired and organized by the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona.

Applicants will be notified of awards in early April. Tinker Informational Session To learn more about how to apply for the Tinker, we will hold an informational session on February 6, 2026, 2-3pm in Marshall 284 . Please click here for the PRESENTATION SLIDES from the info session.

Prior to Departure, Tinker Awardees must: Attend a pre-departure meeting in April on Zoom to review procedures and requirements for before, during, and after travel. If conducting research on human subjects, submit an application for IRB and obtain IRB approval. For instructions, click on Getting Started .

At least 30 days prior to departure, complete the the University International Travel Registry and submit a travel authorization request through the University Travel System. Please follow instructions here: https://finance. arizona.

edu/travel/guide After return from field research, Tinker Awardees must: Submit a report and 2-4 high-quality photos of themselves in the field. The 2026 Tinker awardees must submit their report by Monday, September 14, 2026. Give a presentation at the Tinker Symposium and attend the other sessions, including the keynote lecture.

The 2026 Tinker Awardees will attend the Tinker Symposium on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Note : You are not required to submit receipts for travel, lodging, food, or other expenses after returning from the field. For more information or questions regarding your application, contact Dr. Katie O'Brien at obrien7@arizona.

edu . Frequently Asked Questions Will Tinker fund research in Belize, Haiti or Puerto Rico? No, these countries are not among the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries that Tinker includes within its program.

These are Tinker requirements, not UA restrictions. The Latin American countries you may get funding to travel to are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. I’m studying the Latinx immigrant experience in the United States.

Will Tinker fund this research? No, Tinker will only support travel and field-related expenses in Latin American and Caribbean countries. I don’t need to ask for airfare, but rather want to travel by car.

Is this covered by Tinker? In particular circumstances, car travel may be more appropriate than air travel and yes, the Tinker can fund such arrangements. One common scenario is conducting research on the Mexico side of the Mexico-U.S. border.

Another might be if you are already living in the country where you want to conduct research, but need additional funding for travel to your research sites by car. Please keep in mind that the travel amount awarded will correspond to the amount it would cost to fly, even if you plan to drive.

For example, if you plan to drive to Mexico City to conduct your research, you would receive an award equivalent to round-trip airfare to Mexico City. Finally, if you drive, you must spend at least 21 days conducting fieldwork full time. It is not permissible to count your driving time as part of your research time.

Can I combine language study with my fieldwork using a Tinker grant? Tinker funds can only cover fieldwork related to your research, and cannot be used to cover education-related expenses, either for language study or any other kind of class.

However, if you have other funding to cover your language study, Tinker funds can be used to pay for the time you spend beyond the language program, as long as you meet the minimum requirement of at least 3 weeks of fieldwork (i.e., 21 full days dedicated to conducting research). I want to do an internship in a Latin American or Caribbean country. Can I combine this with a Tinker research project?

Tinker funds can only cover fieldwork related to your research, and cannot be used to do an internship. The internship will have to be conducted on your own time. Tinker funds can be used to pay for the time you spend beyond the internship, as long as you meet the minimum requirement of at least 3 weeks of fieldwork (i.e., 21 full days dedicated to conducting research).

I need to do my research when it is Summer in the Southern Hemisphere (for example, scientific data can only be collected during summer months). Is that allowed? Yes, the Tinker foundation allows for travel anytime during the calendar year.

CLAS prefers students to travel during the May-August period, but does allow students to conduct research during other months. The country where I’m doing my research is in a civil conflict or has experienced a coup d’etat. Can I defer my research to a later time?

Yes, we can accommodate specific requests owing to political unrest in a given country. However, deferrals must be within the same 12-month timeframe as when the grant was originally awarded. My mom/friend/professor speaks Spanish (or Portuguese).

Can they sign off on my language proficiency? No. The language proficiency certification form must be filled out by a professional in the Latin American Studies or Spanish and Portuguese Department at the University of Arizona. Does the Tinker fund online or hybrid research?

The expectation is that the research will be conducted in-person. However, exceptions can be made to allow for online or hybrid (both online and in-person) research due to special circumstances of the researcher’s or at their study site. Please email Katie O'Brien ( obrien7@arizona.

edu ) to request an exception. If I received a Tinker Field Research Grant in the past, can I apply again? You cannot be awarded a Tinker on consecutive years.

For example, if you received an award in 2022, you cannot receive one in 2023. Furthermore, you can only be awarded a Tinker once during a degree program. For example, once for your master's thesis research during your M.

A. program and once for your pre-dissertation fieldwork during your Ph. D.

program. I am a non-degree seeking graduate student. Am I eligible to apply?

No, non-degree seeking graduate students are not eligible to apply for the Tinker. Can Tinker fund research on the U.S.-Mexico border? Tinker can only fund the research you do on the Mexican side of the border.

There are other CLAS scholarships you can apply for to conduct research on the U.S.-Mexico border. Please go to https://las. arizona.

edu/scholarships for more information. In addition, the Confluence Center, Grad College, and library all have special funding for border projects. How much money does the Tinker award?

The Tinker awards a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $3,000. Does field research need to happen on consecutive days? No, the 21 or more days of full time research that you propose do not have to be on consecutive days.